Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Friday 30 July 1999

Scottish Executive

Broadcasting

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it intends to make to lay the Annual Report of BBC Scotland before the Parliament for consideration.

Rhona Brankin: Copies of the Annual Report will be made available to Members in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Census

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to outline the differences between the proposed census in Scotland and in the rest of the U.K and to explain why there are such differences.

Mr Jim Wallace: The UK Government published its proposals for the 2001 Census of Population in a White Paper (Cm 4253) on 4 March 1999. Full details of the questions proposed for the different parts of the UK are contained in the White Paper, a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Library.

  The main areas where the proposed questions for Scotland differ from those in other parts of the UK are the inclusion of questions on whether rented accommodation is furnished or unfurnished, knowledge of Scottish Gaelic, and address of and means of travel to place of study; and the exclusion of a question on religion. There are also a number of topics which are proposed to be covered in all parts of the UK but where the form of the question proposed is different.

  The proposed questions follow extensive consultation with Census users. Differences reflect the circumstances of different parts of the UK and the priorities of Census users.

  Final decisions on which questions to be included in the Census in Scotland will be for the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Executive will review the proposals, taking account of comments made following the White Paper. They will then bring forward proposals in a draft Census Order for Scotland for approval by the Scottish Parliament.

Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish schools have a sports co-ordinator and how many do not.

Rhona Brankin: I announced on 7 June the first tranche of Lottery Sports Fund awards to five local authorities for the appointment of co-ordinators in 87 secondary schools. The announcement followed a highly successful pilot programme and the intention is to have a co-ordinator appointed in all of Scotland’s remaining 367 secondary schools by 2003.

Education

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the complement of specialist teachers of physical education and music in primary and secondary schools.

Mr Sam Galbraith: We work closely with education authorities and other bodies to ensure that there is an adequate supply of teachers to meet the needs of schools in Scotland. The deployment of teachers within schools is a matter for education authorities.

Education

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged over 18 are enrolled in adult education courses in each local authority area for the academic year of 1999-2000 and what were the equivalent figures for each of the past five years.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Information is not held centrally on enrolment rates in adult education courses in the form requested.

  Information is available on community education provision for 1995/6 and 1996/7. This information is not available at local authority level and does not distinguish between formal courses and more informal provision. The total attendance at courses and informal provision was estimated to be around 250,000 in each of the two years.

  My Department is currently working on a new model for collecting community education statistics. This will be more precise and will take account of the recommendations of the Report "Communities: Change Through Learning" and EID Circular 4/99.

Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to schools in the current financial year in order to reduce the number of pupils being expelled.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive is providing £6m in the current financial year to education authorities through the Excellence Fund and the pilot Alternatives to Exclusion Programme. These resources will support authorities in making provision for pupils at risk of exclusion and thereby assist them achieve the national objective of reducing exclusion by a third by 2002 and to ensure that full time education is provided for all pupils excluded for over three weeks.

Education

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the resources which local authorities will need in order to provide the necessary support for individual school pupils with disabilities whose families have a wish, based on appropriate assessment, for them to attend mainstream schools, and what priority has been given to providing these resources.

Peter Peacock: Provision for special educational needs is made within the local government finance settlement. Grant-aided expenditure in 1999-2000 in respect of special educational needs is £169.360 million, an increase of 7.1% on 1998-99. In addition, specific grant of £4.685 million is available to local authorities for in-service staff development and training in special educational needs.

Education

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the resources available to local authorities in order to support the educational requirements of disabled children with special needs.

Peter Peacock: Grant-aided expenditure for special educational needs within the local government finance settlement for 1999-2000 is £169.36 million, an increase of 7.1% on the previous year.

  In addition, an additional £3 million has been allocated through specific grant for local authority in-service staff development and training in special educational needs which now totals £4.685 million.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has entered into any correspondence with the Forum of Private Business and whether it intends to meet representatives of the Forum

Henry McLeish: The Forum of Private Business has written to me and I met representatives of the organisation on Wednesday 30 June.

European Monetary Union

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans have been made to prepare local authorities in Scotland for the possible entry of the United Kingdom into European Monetary Union between 2002 and 2005.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) are both represented on the Joint Central/Local Government Working Group set up by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) to consider the introduction of the Euro.

  In addition HM Treasury will step up its contacts with first-wave member states in order to learn from their experiences and will work with other Government Departments, the Scottish Executive and local government to develop pilot projects to act as a guide for preparations in other organisations.

European Monetary Union

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the estimated cost to local authorities in Scotland of converting from Sterling to the Euro and whether local authorities will be expected to meet this cost from their existing resources.

Mr Jack McConnell: The cost of changeover would depend on the approach taken. By undertaking advance planning and preparations, we will ensure that local authorities are in a position to make a smooth and cost-effective changeover.

Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a list of the local authorities in Scotland who pay more than 25 per cent of their bills from contractors and suppliers after 30 days from the date due for payment.

Mr Jack McConnell: Information on the percentage of invoices paid within 30 days is published by the Accounts Commission in their Annual Report "Comparing the Performance of Scottish Councils 1997-98" (Figure 3). Based on this information, the authorities that paid more than 25 per cent of their bills after 30 days during 1997-98 were as follows:

  Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Dundee City, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, City of Glasgow, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Stirling, and West Lothian.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the Greater Glasgow Health Board has any involvement in proposals for the future of the Healthcare International hospital at Clydebank.

Susan Deacon: In 1997 Health Care International (HCI) expressed interest in Greater Glasgow Health Board’s proposals to create a new Western Infirmary under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Those proposals were not pursued.

  Currently Greater Glasgow Health Board and the North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust are developing new proposals for acute hospital services in West Glasgow as described in the Health Board’s Health Improvement Programme. Any proposal from Health Care International would be considered on its merits. No such proposal has been made.

Industry

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any discussions it has had with the taskforce established to secure a buyer for the Kvaerner Govan Shipyard and of any future meetings that are scheduled to take place with the taskforce.

Henry McLeish: Prior to 1 July the work of the Kvaerner Task Force was the responsibility of Scottish Office Ministers.

  In recent weeks my colleagues met the Task Force to discuss its role in helping secure a successful outcome to Kvaerner’s efforts to find a buyer for the Govan shipyard.

  As the Task Force’s work has now been completed, there will be no further formal meetings, but individual members will be consulted as necessary on matters affecting the future of Kvaerner’s Clydebank engineering works and Greenock engine works.

Justice

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers in each force area are designated as community beat officers in the current financial year and what were the equivalent figures in each of the past five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is not collected in the form requested. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for Chief Constables who have to respond flexibly to the diversity of tasks placed on the police.

Residential Care

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the current law and practice in relation to the means assessment of residents in residential and care homes.

Iain Gray: The Royal Commission on Long Term Care was set up to consider the system of funding care, including means assessment, in residential and nursing homes, as well as in people’s own homes. The recommendations made in their Report about health, housing and social work matters are for Scottish Ministers. We are considering our response.

Retirement

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government with regard to reviewing the practice of requiring Scottish Executive employees to retire at the age of 60.

Mr Jack McConnell: The retirement age of staff of the Scottish Executive is a matter for the Scottish Executive to determine.

Social Exclusion

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish details of any representations it receives in respect of the role of the voluntary sector in tackling social exclusion.

Jackie Baillie: We intend to make available copies of representations received, in response to formal consultations on tackling social exclusion, provided the authors have no objections. These will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that girls and boys have equal opportunities to participate in youth sports schemes which it funds or promotes, especially team sports such as football, rugby and basketball.

Rhona Brankin: We are committed to providing sporting opportunities for all through various programmes delivered by  sportscotland. An integral part of all of the  sportscotland youth sport programmes is a firm commitment to equal opportunities for boys and girls. Indeed, 3 of the 7 main aims of the Team Sport Scotland Programme are relevant to the issue. These aims are:

  To encourage the development of mixed team games.

  To encourage initiatives which attract girls to participate.

  To motivate and train more female leaders and coaches.

  In recent years there has been a significant increase in girls’ participation and currently there are 4000 registered female football players under the age of 16. Recent research has shown, however, that nearer 33,000 female players under the age of 16 are regularly participating in football. In the last 8 years the number of qualified female coaches has increased from around 200 to approximately 3,500.

  In basketball, team participation in primary school competition is conditional upon equal numbers of boys and girls making up the team. In the recent National Basketball Summer Camp Programme, 40% of all participants were young female players.

  Scottish Rugby Union policy in relation to the development of rugby is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to play rugby at school or club and to develop their talents through organised and competitive structures.

Works of Art

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will urgently instruct Scotland’s National Galleries to co-operate speedily and completely with those investigating the provenance of works of art in order to identify any items possibly stolen by the Nazis from Jewish owners during or immediately before the Second World War.

Rhona Brankin: Care of the collections of the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) is a statutory function of the Board of Trustees. However, the Government has asked the UK national institutions to investigate their collections to establish whether any objects may have been looted during World War II and the Nazi period. This exercise is being led and co-ordinated by the UK National Museum Directors’ Conference

  In accordance with the Statement of Principles and Proposed Actions issued by the Conference, the NGS drew up an action plan for examining their collections. From the 150,000 works in the collections, some 40,000 were identified as having been acquired from 1933 onwards. Further investigation has identified a substantial number of items with incomplete provenance, but this does not necessarily mean that these items were spoliated during World War II and the Nazi period. Research into the provenance of these items is continuing as a matter of urgency and the NGS will publish the results as soon as possible. I understand that the Conference is satisfied with the NGS action plan and the progress being made in examining the collections.

  I appreciate the concerns of those with an interest in works of art which were looted during the Nazi period, but the responsible course is to investigate the provenance of objects as quickly and thoroughly as possible before publishing information on them.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether, in the light of the report on the Holyrood Project which indicated that the construction only cost of the new Parliament Building was £2,696 per square metre of floor space, he will state how this compares with other major public works projects in Scotland in recent years.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body is not responsible for, and holds no information about the construction costs of other public work projects in Scotland, and because of the unique nature of the Parliament building, it would be inadvisable to make comparisons with other recently constructed Scottish public buildings.

Scottish Parliament Website

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer when it is intended to make the Scottish Parliament website accessible for people with visual impairment.

Sir David Steel: It was a mandatory requirement for the design of the Scottish Parliament’s web site that it take account of how it could be accessed by people with a visual impairment. The facilities to translate or adapt internet material to accommodate visual impairment require to be used at the ‘client’ end, that is, they are modifications to the particular web browser tool used by the visually impaired person on their own PC. A well-designed web site will anticipate the use of standard tools of this type and ensure the fonts, colours and other formatting are as far as possible suitable for such interpretation. The Scottish Parliament web site continues to be developed with regard to the Royal National Institute for the Blind’s guidance (www.rnib.org.uk) and that of W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (www.w3.org/WAI) ( Web Accessibility Initiative International Program includes the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and research at the Institute National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique, MIT, Keio University, The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.)

Scottish Parliament Website

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer when it is intended to make available search facilities within the Official Report section of the Scottish Parliament website.

Sir David Steel: The need for searching was a principal consideration in planning the site. It is a major analysis and design task which will continue to develop over several months and which could only commence once the document formats and structure of the Parliament’s published material had themselves been fully specified and developed. The implementation involves underpinning the whole site contents, including the Official Report, with a corporate database into which all the source material will be placed and which will enable a range of searching from the simple to the most sophisticated. The Communications Directorate has work well in hand to specify and model this database. It is intended to have the first elements of the corporate database developed and available to support site searching from mid September.

Scottish Parliament Website

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer whether he is satisfied that the Scottish Parliament website has been assembled in accordance with the original specification and when the specification will be met in full.

Sir David Steel: The original specification identified phases of work, starting with text-based initial content and subsequently enhancing the site with an underpinning database, once the format of the content could be confirmed and as the volume and complexity of published material increased. The work, although commissioned and completed under enormous pressure of time, has gone to schedule and met all mandatory requirements of the specification to date.

Scottish Parliament Website

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer whether he is satisfied that the Scottish Parliament website is specified to a standard which conforms with the best practice.

Sir David Steel: The specification for the Parliament web site was drawn up by reference to the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Information and Communications Technology (who reported to the Consultative Steering Group). The technical specifications were carefully designed to ensure that both excellent quality and wide accessibility (even by low-level or older versions of web browser software) were supported. The tendered responses for the web site design were rigorously checked to ensure that requirements were met in an appropriate and effective manner with due regard to technology standards, design objectives and best practice. The successful bid scored highly in these regards.